michael . 54 years old / denver . colorado
i took full advantage of this day before going out to look for strangers. i left my apartment after 5.00 this evening and still had plenty of light. this is very good news.
i walked by a couple of people before i saw michael. i didn't have any particular age, race, or gender in mind today... just wanted to have a good experience with someone.
michael and i walked past each other on the sidewalk - he was heading up 13th street and i down. as we passed each other, i gave him a nod and he responded with a hello. i couldn't see his eyes because he was wearing dark sunglasses, but something about his hello made him sound very friendly so i went for it.
i excused myself and began telling him about my project. he was immediately interested. we talked a bit and i told him that i am officially now over the halfway mark. i told him about the grant i am applying for and that i hope to make a book out of the images at the end of the year.
he told me that this was the very first time a stranger has come up to him on the street, asking for his photograph, but that he has passed so many people over the years who he would like to take pictures of. michael carries a camera with him wherever he goes on the off chance there will be something worthy of capturing.
he told me a story of a bright red, january sunset here in denver. it was a few years ago, but he recalled it like it was yesterday. he photographed a war memorial silhouetted against the sun with his old minolta 35mm camera. when he developed the image, he said it reminded him of "atlanta on fire" and thought it would make a great book cover.
michael was the person i was supposed to meet today. i am convinced. we had one of those interactions that i cherish - the kind that i don't want to end. maybe by the end of this year, i'll have the courage to push the envelope a bit more and ask for some more time.
i took full advantage of this day before going out to look for strangers. i left my apartment after 5.00 this evening and still had plenty of light. this is very good news.
i walked by a couple of people before i saw michael. i didn't have any particular age, race, or gender in mind today... just wanted to have a good experience with someone.
michael and i walked past each other on the sidewalk - he was heading up 13th street and i down. as we passed each other, i gave him a nod and he responded with a hello. i couldn't see his eyes because he was wearing dark sunglasses, but something about his hello made him sound very friendly so i went for it.
i excused myself and began telling him about my project. he was immediately interested. we talked a bit and i told him that i am officially now over the halfway mark. i told him about the grant i am applying for and that i hope to make a book out of the images at the end of the year.
he told me that this was the very first time a stranger has come up to him on the street, asking for his photograph, but that he has passed so many people over the years who he would like to take pictures of. michael carries a camera with him wherever he goes on the off chance there will be something worthy of capturing.
he told me a story of a bright red, january sunset here in denver. it was a few years ago, but he recalled it like it was yesterday. he photographed a war memorial silhouetted against the sun with his old minolta 35mm camera. when he developed the image, he said it reminded him of "atlanta on fire" and thought it would make a great book cover.
michael was the person i was supposed to meet today. i am convinced. we had one of those interactions that i cherish - the kind that i don't want to end. maybe by the end of this year, i'll have the courage to push the envelope a bit more and ask for some more time.
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